Of Mages and Templars
by Katolman97
Summary: Evelyn Trevelyan- mage, and now "Herald of Andraste" - finds herself falling for the most unlikely person, a former templar turned Commander named Cullen. Will she be able to save the world, AND balance her feelings? Rated M for later chapters! I hope you enjoy! I own nothing- all of it belongs to Bioware. Please read and review. :D
1. Prologue & Chapter 1

**PROLOGUE**

I felt panic rise in my chest as I scrambled up the rocky hillside. My feet were continually slipping as the rocks crumbled away beneath me, forcing me to clutch desperately at higher ground in order to keep moving forward. I spared a glance behind me, and regretted it immediately after. Also making their way up the incline were several large, and I do mean large, spiders- all clicking away with their pincer-like jaws and staring at me with their small, beady eyes. It was made blatantly obvious that I was their target, and I had no intention of stopping to let them eat me.

I pushed forward, urging my limbs to carry me farther, faster. Still, I could hear them getting closer. The panic which had, until now, been stirring in my chest, began to reach higher, taking hold of my throat and choking me with fear. I was nearing the crest of the slope, but the monstrous creatures were almost on top of me. I wasn't going to make it.

Then, as if by miracle, a bright light appeared above me. I looked up, and what I saw took my breath away; the figure of a woman, wreathed in holy flame- and she was reaching a hand towards me. All time seemed to stop in that one instant as I stretched forth my own hand to grasp hers. Time resumed, and I felt myself being pulled up. Before I even had a chance to turn around- to ask her who she was- she shoved me forward. Vaguely, I remember falling, but not a moment later my feet were planted solidly on the ground. Still, it had been a disorienting experience, and I soon collapsed- my head feeling as though I had been spinning in circles for hours.

**CHAPTER I**

When I awoke, my head still felt as though it had been bludgeoned by a thousand hammers. It took everything I had not to keel over and vomit right then. Instead, I took a deep, calming breath, and set to discovering my surroundings. The room was dimly lit- no windows, only a few scattered torches here and there. Its stone walls seemed well maintained, which, to me, indicated that someone must be living here. Had someone found me, by chance, and taken me in? I decided that if that was the case, I'd best get up and find them- so I could thank them properly. Only then did I realize that I was in shackles. Fantastic.

A crippling pain seized my left hand, and I looked down to find some sort of… eerily green, glowing mark embedded in my palm. As a mage, I'd seen runes of all kinds, but nothing like this. The magic it emitted was… dark, somehow. Had my captors done this to me? Why?

Suddenly, the door opened and in walked two women with a handful of guards. The guards surrounded me, swords drawn, forming a sort of perimeter. I wasn't sure why- it's not like I could have done anything, shackled as I was. One of the women was hooded, but I could see her face well enough, even in this light. Pretty- pale of skin, with blue eyes and short, reddish hair. She stepped towards me as the other circled around, watching me like a hungry vulture waiting for its prey to die.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now," the vulture spat, "the Conclave is destroyed- everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

"What do you mean 'everyone's dead?'" I truly was shocked. I could remember having attended the Conclave, but… everything after that was all very fuzzy.

"Explain this..!" The vulture came to stand in front of me, yanking my hand upward just as another stab of pain spread through my fingertips, causing the mark to burn brighter.

"I… can't," I said, staring at the ground. Maker protect me, what would these people think of me with such an answer? Both of the women were circling now, but it was still the vulture who spoke.

"What do you mean, 'you can't?'" It was obvious from her tone of voice that she was becoming angry- a frightening thing, considering her more-than-intimidating appearance. She was darker-skinned than the other, with brown eyes and short, choppy black hair. But what made her truly intimidating was the various scars she bore on her face- a warrior, no doubt.

"I don't know what that is, or how it got there!"

"You're lying!" she retorted, and suddenly it registered that her face was now very close to mine; I could feel her breath fanning my cheeks. She tried to grab me- shove me, but the other stepped in and warded her away.

"We need her, Cassandra." That was, I admit, a relief to hear her say. They weren't going to kill me- at least, not yet. The vulture now had a name, too: Cassandra.

As the pale one came back towards me, I decided now might be the time to speak up.

"All those people… they're really dead?"

"Yes," the woman's accent was quite clearly Orlesian, "do you remember anything of what happened? How this began?"

I was struggling to remember, and I'm sure it showed on my face. "I remember running- things were chasing me. And then… there was a woman."

"A woman?" This seemed to pique her interest.

"She reached out to me, but then…" I let out a sigh as my sentence drifted off- that was all I could remember, at least for the time being. The vulture, Cassandra, began to usher the other woman out of the room.

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana, I will take her to the rift." The rift? What was the rift? What was she talking about? The woman, Leliana, seemed hesitant to leave at first, but she eventually conceded with a nod of the head and left me alone… with Cassandra.

At that moment, I honestly thought she was going to kill me- or worse. After all, it seemed clear enough to me that she'd already decided my guilt. But, much to my surprise and joy, she knelt before me and started to remove the shackles, replacing only the bindings on my hands with rope. With a swift burst of courage, I asked, "What did happen?" She helped me up before speaking.

"It will be easier to show you." I didn't much like the sound of that.

I was forced to squint as I followed Cassandra through the open doors, it was much brighter outside than it had been in my "cell." As I stepped into the frigid air, I looked around. There were buildings all around, roofs covered in a light, powdery blanket of snow. It seemed that I hadn't been moved very far. The Conclave had taken place at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, in the Frostback Mountains bordering Ferelden and Orlais. We were still in those same mountains, so I assumed I had been taken to the only nearby village- Haven.

I heard a tremendous cracking sound- akin to that which lightning makes- and my eyes were drawn towards the sky. There, amidst the center of swirling, grey clouds, was a great rift- a gap in the sky itself- and pouring from it was a spire of eerie green energy, identical to that which now glowed on my hand. Needless to say, I was stunned. My heart felt as though it had sunk into the pit of my stomach. Whatever had happened at the Conclave- it caused this; it ripped a hole in the sky. As if the situation weren't already dire enough between mages and templars, now we had this to deal with also. What was the world coming to?

Cassandra's words ripped me from my thoughts. "We call it: the Breach. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." I realized she must have been talking about the Fade. "It's not the only such rift, only the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"An explosion can do that?" I was finding it hard to believe. In order to cause a rift into the Fade… it would take extraordinary amounts of magic.

"This one did," Cassandra said simply, "unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world." All at once, another pain took hold of me- this one much stronger than those I had endured before. I couldn't help it- the sensation was so intense- I cried out and fell to my knees, struggling to make it stop; the mark on my hand was pulsating brighter every second.

Cassandra knelt, pointing an angry finger at the sky in the direction of the Breach. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads… and it is killing you." The pain was lessening just enough so that I could hear her and think about something beyond the agony. "It is killing you," she had said. Didn't have to tell me twice.

"It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time," she continued.

I took a moment to think. The Conclave had been destroyed… a rift to the Fade had been opened. No doubt, the war between templars and mages still raged. Practically the entire world was falling apart. And then there was this mark on my hand. I didn't really have a choice- I knew I needed to step up- to be brave. I took a deep breath, my mind set. "I understand."

A brief flicker of approval appeared in Cassandra's eyes, "Then..?"

"I'll do what I can- whatever it takes."

She didn't say anything after that, only grabbed me by the arm and helped me back up to my feet. As we walked through the town, I noticed that many sets of eyes were upon me- and none of them too friendly, either. When Cassandra spoke, her voice was slightly hushed, "They have decided your guilt. They need it. The people of Haven mourn our most holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."

I knew her words to be true as she spoke. Divine Justinia had called for the peace talks at the Conclave in the hope of ending this brutal war. Clearly, something had gone wrong. But whose fault was it- the templars, or the mages? Or, perhaps, neither? We were approaching the edge of the village now, and a pair of guards opened the gates for us.

"We lash out- like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves, as she did, until the Breach is sealed." Cassandra was right, of course. None of us could really afford to be selfish in times like these. I hadn't known the Divine personally, but I had been told by many of her selflessness- something I could only hope to aspire to.

Cassandra pulled a small, decorated dagger from somewhere on her hip and turned towards me. My breath hitched in my throat. Then she started to slice at the rope binding my wrists, and I let out a breath of relief. "There will be a trial. I can promise no more," she said. And how could she? At least I would get a chance to defend myself. "Come, it is not far."

I rubbed at my wrists, which had been irritated by the coarseness of the rope. "Where are you taking me?" I asked curiously.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach," she said simply. That was fair enough, I supposed. Didn't very well want to take on that unless I knew I could handle it. We walked across the bridge in uncomfortable silence, until we came to another gate which Cassandra had opened for us by some of the soldiers. I figured she didn't want to talk, I was still a prisoner after all, even if my bonds had been cut.

Along the path, there were several weary-looking men and women huddled behind various manners of cover. Some had built themselves a defensive wall from sharpened stakes, while others had simply toppled over a wagon. Dead bodies littered the road here and there, and I found myself wanting to help these people- to give the dead a proper burial. No one deserved this.

As we continued along, I was able to see the Breach more clearly. The pillar of green fire descending from the sky seemed almost like it touched the ground, and every now and then, a fiery meteor would strike the soil somewhere up ahead. It was unnerving, to say the least. Eventually, the number of people thinned until it was only Cassandra and I on the road. I felt another crippling shock begin to take me, and soon enough, pain coursed throughout my entire body. I collapsed again, still unable to withstand the agony.

Cassandra came almost immediately to my side, helping me up and even wrapping one of my arms about her shoulder for support. "Thank you," I muttered.

"You're," she paused, pressing her lips into a line, "welcome." I was still a prisoner to her- exchanging pleasantries must have seemed rather odd. "The pulses are coming faster now." She clapped me on the shoulder and started walking, expecting me to follow.

Not long after, we came across another bridge. As I looked on, I could see soldiers running- but to what, I did not know. Then, out of nowhere, a whistling; a whistling that was coming closer. I glanced up just in time to see one of those fiery green meteors smash into the center of the bridge. The quake was enormous, it split the bridge right in two. Unfortunately for Cassandra and I, that meant a decent tumble to the ice below. Once I was assured that I had landed, I opened my eyes to see Cassandra rubbing the back of her head. Luckily for us, the ice hadn't even cracked under our weight. I didn't want to think about what might have happened had we fallen through into the icy water.

Another meteor slammed through a nearby ridge, striking the ice some meters away. Both Cassandra and I got to our feet, only to see what appeared to be a shade rising from the place where the comet had fallen. I'd never seen one in person before, but I recognized it easily enough. Having once been in the Circle, I was taught a great deal about what would happen to me if I ever gave in to possession. Still, it didn't seem that this shade had possessed anyone at all. Rather, it had manifested by itself, likely due to the tear between this world and theirs. It was certainly as ugly as all the tomes had described- hunched over, with long, misshapen arms, ending in pointed, claw-like hands. Its face was even more gruesome, twisted like the knot of a tree.

Cassandra withdrew her weapons relatively quickly, yelling, "Stay behind me!" as she charged towards the monster, sword and shield in hand. All right- I decided I would stay there, just like she asked. Only fate wasn't going to let me off so easily. Even as I began to back away, the ice started to boil black. That definitely could not have been a good sign. I searched frantically for a way to defend myself, and sure enough, my eyes fell on a mage's staff, conveniently lain against a few boxes not a foot away.

As I reached for the weapon, I could hear the screeches of another shade, and I realized it had risen from the boiling ice. Unthinking, I grabbed the shaft and spun around. The staff responded by shooting a dagger of ice at my opponent, which was, apparently, well-aimed, as the shade let out one last piercing shriek before toppling over. I glanced over to see that Cassandra had beaten her enemy as well, so I hastily got to my feet and started towards her. "It's over." I wasn't expecting the hostility that would come next.

Her expression was stony as she waved her sword in my face. "Drop your weapon. Now."

I recoiled, taking up a defensive stance. Still a prisoner, I had to remind myself. "All right," I murmured, "whatever you say, boss." I inched my arm forward, offering forth the staff for Cassandra to take. Instead, she sighed.

"Wait- you're right." She sheathed her sword and looked back at me, "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless." She turned away and started to walk again, only to stop a moment later in order to add, "I should remember you agreed to come willingly."

I was tempted to smile, but withheld. Maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to warm up to me. We got back on the path, following it for what seemed like a long while. It snaked in the same way as the river, leading us up and down, through small canyons and up high slopes. Eventually, though, we reached our destination- what looked to be some kind of abandoned foothold. Some distance away, in a courtyard, I could see a couple of figures struggling with shades. "We have to help them!" I cried as I ran. Cassandra followed without complaint. It seemed as though she had given up treating me like a prisoner, at least for now. As I got closer, the figures became more distinguishable. One was a dwarf- stocky like the rest of his people, but lacking the full beard which many of his kin took pride in. The other couldn't have been more opposite, a spindly, bald elf.

I stopped a short distance away and took my staff between my hands, shooting ice bolts left and right. At times, when I thought it was beneficial, I would call upon more of my magic to freeze one of the creatures solid. Cassandra, taking advantage of the opportunity, would shatter it into pieces with the butt of her blade. She likely wasn't thinking about it at the time, but I, at least, was starting to see that we'd make a pretty good team.

While the dwarf and Cassandra were taking care of the last shade, I stepped through the rubble of the broken wall and into the courtyard. There, hovering above the ground, was one of the "rifts" I'd been told about. To me, it looked like a sort of portal- a gateway to another world, ripped in the fabric of the air. I was so transfixed by it, I hardly noticed when the elf-man grabbed my hand and shoved it up to the rift, crying, "Quickly, before more come through!"

Suddenly, the mark embedded in my palm made a connection with the rift, a thick, tendril-like sprout of magical energy. It was painful, to say the least, but I could somehow feel the rift closing, and this prompted me to endure. It must have lasted only a few moments, but the throbbing made it feel much longer. It did, eventually, end however, and where once was a rift, there was now only air. "H-How..? What did you do?" I struggled with my words, completely taken aback by what had just happened.

"I did nothing- the credit is yours," the elf replied.

"You mean this," I retorted, glancing down at the still-burning mark.

"Whatever magic opened that breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the breach's wake- and it seems I was correct."

Cassandra stepped in then, eager to comment, "Meaning it could also close the Breach itself." Closing one of these small tears was one thing, but the massive hole in the sky was another thing entirely- I wasn't sure I was up to such a task.

"Possibly," said the elf, "it seems you hold the key to our salvation." I paled. Salvation? Only then did the dwarf speak up, albeit from some distance away.

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." I resisted the urge to laugh- didn't really seem like the time, or place, for that matter. "Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong," he winked at Cassandra as he said it, and I allowed myself a small smile. This one, I was liking already. Meanwhile, Cassandra only glared.

"That's… a nice crossbow you have there," I commented.

"Ah, isn't she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together."

"You named your crossbow Bianca?" A rather amusing name for a weapon, I thought.

"Of course, and she'll be great company in the valley."

Cassandra was quick to protest. "Absolutely not! Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me." Seeker? Did he mean the Seekers of Truth? Is that what Cassandra was- a Seeker? It made sense, I supposed, since the peace talks had been held by the leader of the Chantry herself.

Cassandra made a disgusted noise and turned away from Varric, instead deciding to pace somewhere behind me.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I am pleased to see you still live."

A little bit of a strange thing to say, but the elf meant well. "Oh.. um, thank you?"

Varric breathed a laugh, "He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'"

I looked back at Solas, suddenly curious, "Then I owe you."

He shook off my thanks, "Thank me if we manage to close the Breach without killing you in the process." Killing me? Right then- maybe I shouldn't have been thanking him after all. Still, he continued, "Cassandra, you should know; the magic involved here is unlike any I've seen." That made two of us. "Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."

"Understood," she replied. "We must get to the forward camp quickly."

The others started to move forward, but Varric paused briefly next to me, "Well, Bianca's excited!" I laughed a little and followed after, and in my heart, I started to feel the beginnings of hope- hope that everything would be alright after all.

Cassandra led the way, down a bank, explaining that the road ahead was blocked. I looked up and realized she was right, a pillar of stone had fallen over in front of the gates. But more than that, the whole area surrounding it was on fire. We definitely were not going to go that way. Solas seemed impatient, he was doing his best to scurry ahead of everyone else, all the while complaining that we needed to move more quickly. In a way, I understood- I wanted to get this over with just as much as he did.

Along the way, we faced a few more groups of demons- each one more dangerous and disturbing than the last. "Varric!" I called. One of the shades had chosen to sneak up behind him as he was facing another. I thrust forth my hand, and a cloud of icy mist sprung from my fingertips, enveloping the shade in a case of ice. Just in time, too- Varric turned and shot a crossbow bolt through its head.

"Thanks, Red!"

I assumed the nickname had been given for my red hair. It was darker in shade than most, almost brown, but the red became more apparent in the light. "No problem," I grinned.

Cassandra had just finished facing down a more spirit-like creature. Rather than attack head on, it liked to shoot strange balls of magic from a distance. A wraith, I believed it to be- vaguely human, but with no distinguishable features. As we moved on, Varric fell into step next to me. "So," he started, "are you innocent?"

"I… don't remember what happened," I answered honestly with a shrug of the shoulders.

He chuckled, "That'll get you every time- should have spun a story."

Cassandra glanced over her shoulder at Varric, glaring disapprovingly, "That's what you would have done."

"It's more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution." Right. Execution. I'd almost forgotten that was still a foreseeable future.

"Better to tell the truth," I said, "that way I won't have to worry. What if they found out I was lying? Then I'd almost certainly be executed."

"I… hadn't thought about it that way," he admitted.

Cassandra had taken us up a path that ran alongside a large rise, and as we walked, I could hear her muttering, "I hope Leliana made it through all this." It took me a moment, but I remembered- Leliana was the other woman, the one in the room with Cassandra and I when I first woke up.

Varric spoke up to comfort her, which surprised me, seeing as Cassandra had been so brash with him before. "She's resourceful, Seeker."

Solas added, "We will see for ourselves at the forward camp. We are almost there." That was good to hear, we'd been walking for what seemed like hours.

Sure enough, at the top of the rise, I saw a large gated structure. There were a few shades clawing at the walls, spawned by yet another rift. I fought the urge to groan- I wasn't sure I could close another of these things, and I certainly didn't want to. But, I was the only one who had a chance, so I had to take it. While the others worked to dispatch the demons, I approached the tear. I lifted my hand, and another connection was made. The pain was less serious this time, almost as if I was becoming accustomed to it. We were all relieved when it was over. "We're clear for the moment, well done," Solas praised.

"Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful," said Varric.

For a long moment, we stood at the gates. There were noises coming from beyond, voices speaking to one another- the clanging of hammers on metal. Then the gates opened, and we stepped within. Several of the guards bowed their heads in reverence to Cassandra, but I was met only with hostility. How they even knew who I was, I did not know.

We were on another bridge, this one much higher than any of the others- it spanned a large gap between mesas. If I were to take a tumble from this height, I knew there would be no surviving it. Up ahead, I recognized Leliana speaking to an old man- dressed in the regalia of a Chantry clergyman.

"Ah, here they come," he spat.

Leliana stepped forward. "You made it! Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

"I know who she is," he hissed. This one was not very friendly. Not at all. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution." The last word was said with such venom, I almost felt like I'd been bitten by a snake. Execution? What about my trial? Fear began to take hold, but I forced myself to remain calm.

Cassandra stepped up on my behalf, "Order me? You are a glorified clerk! A bureaucrat!"

He didn't like that. "And you are a thug, but a thug that supposedly serves the Chantry!"

"We serve the most holy, Chancellor, as you well know," said Leliana.

"Justinia is dead! We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!"

I decided to speak then, "What about the Breach? According to Solas, the mark on my hand may be the only thing that can close it."

"You killed everyone that was in charge! Do you honestly think we're going to trust you?" He sighed, turning his attention on Cassandra. "Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."

"We can stop this before it's too late," she answered decidedly.

The Chancellor scoffed, "How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all of your soldiers."

"We must get to the temple- it's the quickest route."

Leliana spoke, "But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." She pointed towards a snow-capped peak to the north.

Cassandra shook her head, "We lost contact with an entire squad on that path- it's too risky."

"Listen to me," the Chancellor pleaded, "abandon this now before more lives are lost!" He seemed desperate, and for a fraction of a second, I was inclined to agree with him. But then I remembered our purpose- to close the Breach.

A great cracking sound was heard in the sky as the Breach once again expanded, causing the mark on my hand to throb with immeasurable agony. I gripped my wrist in order to keep my arm from shaking wildly, all the while doing my best to keep the pain from showing. I doubt it worked.

When it was over, Cassandra turned to me. "How do you think we should proceed?"

I was stunned. "You're asking me? A prisoner?"

She nodded, expression like stone, "You're the one with the mark."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. Decisions like these… weren't usually lain on my shoulders. "I… I say we charge with the soldiers. Work together- we all know what's at stake."

Cassandra almost smiled as she spoke, "Very well. Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone."

As we walked away, the Chancellor gave Cassandra a final message, "On your head be the consequences, Seeker." I looked back, but she hardly seemed affected. It was something I'd have to ask about later, if we weren't all dead by tomorrow.

The ensuing battle with the horde of demons from the Breach was not easy. I watched many young men and women lose their lives to those monsters. But we pulled through, and soon enough, I found myself standing in what remained of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

It was awful- the entire area stunk of burning flesh, and it was obvious why. Several charred corpses were strewn about, twisted into gruesome positions that clearly bespoke of the pain they must have felt before dying. My stomach churned- I'd never seen such a sight before. Hopefully, I'd never have to see such a sight again. But, no doubt, that would have been too much to ask for.

The rift was massive, and seemed almost constantly to be expanding. As Varric looked around, he muttered, "The Breach is a long way up."

"No kidding," my reply was whispered. There was something about this place that begged you to speak in hushed voices- lest something hear you. Leliana approached us from behind, a bow and quiver of arrows now strapped to her back.

"You're here!" she cried, "Thank the Maker."

Cassandra turned to her, while the rest of us continued to stare, slack-jawed, at the Breach. "Leliana," she said, "have your men take up positions around the temple."

The redhead nodded and turned back to her people, making various hand gestures as she gave them their orders. Meanwhile, Cassandra came to stand in front of me. Before she spoke, she took a breath, "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

Was I ready? I hardly knew. "I'll try," I answered simply, "but I don't know if I can reach that- much less close it."

Solas had been listening in, it seemed, because he spoke before I had the chance to say anything else. "No, this rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach."

"Then let's find a way down. And be careful," Cassandra said.

Finding a way down was easy enough. Despite the massive explosion which I had been told had taken place, most of the stairs leading down to the center of the temple were still intact.

All of a sudden, a voice boomed somewhere above our heads. "Now is the hour of our victory," it said. The voice was deep, clearly masculine- but I couldn't pinpoint its origin. It was almost as if… it were coming from the very heavens. But, I reasoned, that couldn't be. This voice held far too much malice to come from any divine being. "Bring forth the sacrifice." Sacrifice? What sacrifice? I hurried down the remaining steps, worried that I might be about to walk in to yet another gruesome scene.

Cassandra seemed to be worrying about the same, because she asked, "What are we hearing?"

"I don't know," was the only answer I could think to give her.

Solas, however, had other ideas. "At a guess- the person who created the Breach."

All around us, there were deposits of strange, red crystal growing from the rubble of the Temple. "You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker," Varric murmured.

"I see it, Varric," came her less-than-friendly reply.

Red lyrium? I'd never heard of such a thing. All the lyrium I'd ever seen was blue- the templars used it to better "control" the magic of the mages. "But what's it doing here?" Varric asked. He sounded almost frightened. Couldn't be a good thing, then, I supposed.

Solas spoke, in answer to Varric's question, "Magic could have drawn up lyrium from beneath the temple- corrupted it."

"It's evil! Whatever you do, don't touch it."

Once again, a voice was heard overhead, "Keep the sacrifice still." But there was nothing to be seen- no one. Myself and the others were the only ones in the area. A memory, then? Some kind of message recorded by the magics of the rift? As I neared the rift, my hand began to burn with a sharp pain.

"Someone help me!" It was a woman's voice this time. The sacrifice, perhaps? Like Leliana, her accent was Orlesian.

"What's going on here?" That voice I recognized. It was my own.

Cassandra looked at me- clearly she knew as well as I did who was speaking. "That was your voice. Most holy called out to you. But-"

Suddenly, the rift expanded, enveloping all of us in a searing, white light. When it dissipated, I found myself in something of a… vision. I could see the Divine, Justinia. She was being held by her arms, and a shadowy figure was standing before her. I said again, "What's going on here?"

But this time, she actually replied, "Run while you can! Warn them!"

The shadowy figure spoke, "We have an intruder. Slay the human!"  
>Once again, a white light. When I resurfaced, I was back in reality- with my companions all right beside me. I wondered briefly if they'd seen the vision, too, or if it was only my imagination.<p>

Cassandra was the one to put my wondering to rest. "You were there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she..? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?" She was getting more aggravated with every question.

"I don't remember!"

Solas spoke, and we both turned, our irritation forgotten for now. "Echoes of what happened here. The Fade bleeds into this place. This rift is not sealed, but it is closed- albeit temporarily. I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side."

"That means demons," yelled Cassandra, "stand ready!" The soldiers around the temple did as they were told, notching arrows and pulling forth their swords, respectively.

I stepped forward- terrified. From what Solas said earlier, sealing this rift could possibly kill me. Still, I had no choice- if I could save everyone else by giving my life here, I would do it gladly. Slowly, I raised my hand to the rift. A connection was formed almost immediately, more intense than I'd felt before. The pain was nearly blinding. I wasn't able to hold it for long, and when I let go, a bolt of green fire shot past me, slamming into the ground somewhere behind. From it rose the largest demon I'd seen so far- a demon of Pride.

Cassandra gave the order, and all at once, everyone began to attack the creature. It was massive, with sharp projections sticking from almost every part of its body. It had multiple eyes, and its head was crowned with a pair of long, sword-like horns. "We must strip its defenses," Cassandra cried, "wear it down!" True, the thing had a lot of body armor. At times, he'd shoot what looked like bolts of lightning right at us. However, with enough evasion from us and the soldiers, and the amount of attacks bearing down on him, the Pride demon soon collapsed. It wasn't dead, however. "Now! Seal the rift! Do it."

I heeded Cassandra's order and ran towards the rift, desperately thrusting out my hand in an attempt to seal the rift before the Pride demon could regain its strength. This time, when I made the connection, there was no chance of enduring the pain. It was white hot burning, an agonizing throbbing that's nigh unexplainable. I lost all consciousness.


	2. Excerpt 1 & Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! I'm glad to see that so many of you have already started following this story- and don't worry, I plan to update it as frequently as possible. :) I also wanted to mention that here and there, I'll be adding little excerpts of the story from Cullen's point of view. I hope you enjoy!**

**EXCERPT I**

When she'd first been brought into Haven, I'd regarded her as nothing more than a criminal awaiting execution. It was cemented in my mind that this mage was guilty. After all, what other than a mage's magic could be responsible for what happened at the Conclave? The thought of it disgusted me. Divine Justinia herself- the most holy, leader of all the Chantry- her life had been snuffed out. And by what? A renegade mage. Typical.

She'd also created the Breach in the process, and now good soldiers, my soldiers, were dying because of it. I didn't bother to go with Cassandra and Leliana to interrogate her. There was little to nothing she could say to convince me of her innocence- so what was the point?

As it turned out, I might have been wrong about her. By the time she was brought into Haven for the second time, I'd already heard the news. More than that, I'd seen it. The Breach was closed- at least for now. The giant gap in the sky remained, but my soldiers were no longer staving off demons left and right. That was good. When I was told by Cassandra that the prisoner had been the one to close it, I was more than a little shamed. Here I was- so sure in her guilt- readying the headsman. I hadn't even bothered to meet the poor girl. It was a mistake I was determined to make right.

I was told by Leliana that she'd been placed in the care of the apothecary on the east side of the village. When I arrived, I knocked softly on the door. It opened to reveal a middle-aged man, with a thick, graying beard, clothed in garments common of a mage. I recognized him as Adan, the apothecary. "Hello there," I said hesitantly.

"Hello," came his stiff reply. He knew that I was a former templar, and I'm sure it offput him, at least a bit.

"Is…" I realized that I didn't even know what to call her, "the prisoner inside?"

"She is."

Right. Awkward. "Well… can I see her?"

He grumbled, "If you must, I suppose. Just don't wake her- poor girl's been through a lot in the past day." Adan stood away from the door to allow me inside, but I hesitated for a moment. If she was asleep, I probably shouldn't bother her. But… I decided that I should at least get to know what she looked like.

Stepping through the doorway, I peered around. Lying on the bed some feet away was a figure of a woman. I couldn't see her face, she was turned away from me- but I vaguely witnessed the slow rise and fall of her chest as she slept. Curiously, I thought to ask, "Was she injured?"  
>Adan shut the door behind me. "No," he said, "at least not physically. Who knows what all this strange magic's been doing to her head?"<p>

"Right," I nodded and made my way around the side of the bed. Long, auburn locks were splayed over her face, blocking most of it from my view. Well, that's aggravating. I couldn't very well just move her hair aside- she was a stranger.

I glanced at Adan. He shrugged. Sighing, I gently slipped a finger under some of her hair and lifted. I backed away almost immediately, knocking my head on one of the apothecary's shelves in the process. "Gah!" Adan laughed, and I stormed out, rubbing my head all the while.

What I didn't want to admit was that she was beautiful. Her complexion had an impeccable, ivory hue which was only broken by a sprinkling of light freckles across her pixie-like nose. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on dark, sweeping eyelashes. Like this, her hair seemed a glorious tumble of red gold, perfectly framing a heart-shaped face. Her lips were plump and pouty, the color of sweet strawberries on a summer's day. Oh! But she was mesmerizing.

If the apothecary hadn't been in the room, I could have stared at that angelic face for hours. But what was I thinking? She was a mage, a prisoner! I had no choice but to leave as quickly as possible. Never again would I think of her in such a way. Never- for her beauty was unbearable, it offered me for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that I should liked to have to stretched out over the whole of time.

**CHAPTER II**

So… comfortable. Lazily, I opened my eyes, blinking them a few times to rid them of sleep's haze. What I noticed first was that I was in a bed- a nice, comfortable one, with Orlesian silk sheets and duck-fluff pillows. Had it all been a dream, then? Had I only imagined the Breach- my being held prisoner for a crime I didn't remember committing? I certainly hoped so.

As I sat up, I stretched my arms above my head and let out a soft yawn. The room was lit only by a large candle at the side of the bed. I could tell it'd been burning for some time, because driblets of wax were overflowing from its sides. Other than the bedsheets, the room was very plain- a simple home. Pelts of small animals hung on the walls, and there were many shelves decorated with books and baubles of all kinds. I was alone, it seemed- where the owner of the home was, I did not know.

I stretched my legs and slid off the bed, cantering over to a dirtied mirror hanging on one of the walls. My hair had been let loose, and now hung in soft curls about my shoulders. As I set to putting it back up again, pin in hand, I realized that I wasn't wearing my clothes. Someone had taken the trouble to dress me in tight-fitting, beige attire. It looked well enough, but the shirt made me feel like I was wearing a corset.

Just as I finished fixing my hair into a sloppy bun, a young elf woman came into the room. She was carrying a box of what looked like flasks, but as she set eyes on me, she dropped it carelessly. "Oh!" She was clearly startled. "I didn't know you were awake, I swear!"

I reached a hand towards her, "It's all right. Why are you frightened? What happened?"

"That's wrong, isn't it? I said the wrong thing," she stuttered.

"I don't… think so."

She dropped to her knees, palms and forehead flat on the floor. "I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant." She was confusing me now. As a member of House Trevelyan, I'd had servants before- but I never made any of them kneel before me. "You are back in Haven, my lady. They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing- just like the mark on your hand." I glanced at my left palm, and sure enough, the eerie green mark was still there. So it wasn't a dream, after all. She continued speaking, "It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days."

"Three days?" I echoed, "I've been asleep for that long? Then… the danger is over?"

"The Breach is still in the sky," she said, "but that's what they say. I'm certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you've wakened. She said, 'At once.'"

"And where is she?"

"In the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once,' she said," the elf kept repeating.

Once the woman was gone, I let out a sigh. It was hard to wrap my head around everything that had happened so far. Still, I decided that I should probably go see Cassandra. But when I stepped outside, my mouth fell open. There, standing outside the door, was an entire procession of people. The guards had their fists held across their chests in a formal salute, while the rest of the people only gave smiles and nods of approval.

To think, only yesterday they all wanted me dead- they cursed my very name. Still, I was appreciative. It felt nice to be the recipient of such praise. I only hoped I was deserving of it. From somewhere in the crowd, I heard a man mutter, "That's her- the Herald of Andraste." Herald of Andraste? Was he talking about me? That couldn't be right- I was a mage. Didn't they know that?  
>As I walked along, I did my best to smile and wave back, something I was taught by my mother in Ostwick. However, I was relieved when I managed to escape into a more quiet part of the town. Looking up at the sky, I realized that the Breach had been closed- there was no longer a fiery pillar of green energy descending from the sky. That I'd been the one to do it, well, that was unbelievable.<p>

Haven was a small village. While it was noisy- dogs barking, people talking - its chatter had nothing on Thedas's big cities. Because it was situated in the Frostbacks, the ground was almost constantly covered in a layer of snow. I felt it crunching beneath my boots as I strolled. The Chantry wasn't far, but its doors were massive, so I took to opening one of the smaller, built in doors for people wanting to enter one at a time.

Inside it was lit by flaming torches, and a decorated rug spanned most of the length of the hall. Not knowing exactly where to go, I followed my feet to the end. Behind a closed door I could hear muddled voices, so I took a chance- I opened it.

Standing on either side of the door were a pair of guards, but my eyes were more drawn to the other people in the room- Leliana, Cassandra, and… much to my dismay, Chancellor Roderick.

The Chancellor spoke first, "Chain her! I want her prepared to travel to the capital for trial!" What? After all I'd done, he still thought I was guilty!

"Disregard that, and leave us," said Cassandra.

The guards next to the door saluted before leaving, but Chancellor Roderick wasn't so quick to depart. "You walk a dangerous line, Seeker."

Cassandra deadpanned, "The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."

That's when I decided to speak up, "I did everything I could to close the Breach. It almost killed me!"

"Yet you live! A convenient result, insofar as you're concerned," grumbled Roderick.

"Have a care, Chancellor. The Breach is not the only threat we face," Cassandra's voice was becoming terse. It seemed to me like she was trying to hold back from strangling the fellow right there and then.

"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave," said Leliana, "Someone most holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others- or have allies who yet live."

The Chancellor was shocked. "I am a suspect?" Hah, now he knew how it felt.

"You- any many others," Leliana confirmed.

"But not the prisoner?" Roderick asked.

"I heard the voices in the temple," interrupted Cassandra, "The Divine called to her for help."

"So her survival, that thing on her hand- all a coincidence?" He scoffed.

Cassandra shook her head, "Providence. The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour." Now wait- what? Divine providence? I believed in the Maker just as much as everyone else, but… I never considered myself chosen.

"You do realize I'm a mage, right?"

Cassandra nodded, "I have not forgotten, but no matter what you are, or what you believe, you are exactly what we needed, when we needed it." She was right about that, I supposed.

"The Breach remains," said Leliana, "and your mark is still our only hope of closing it."

"This is not for you to decide," growled Roderick.

Suddenly, Cassandra slammed a large tome on the table. Its cover was emblazoned with the sun symbol of the Chantry, and in the center- an eye. Clearly, it belonged to the Seekers of Truth. "You know what this is, Chancellor," she said. "A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act." She stood tall, proud in that moment- and I felt my heart swell with pride at being next to her. "As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She started towards Roderick, in affect cornering him. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order- with or without your approval!"

Chancellor Roderick glanced between me and Cassandra, glaring, before departing the room in silence. I never liked him, anyway. Leliana spoke next, touching a few fingers to the tome that still lay on the table, "This is the Divine's directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now… no Chantry support."

"But we have no choice," Cassandra said, "we must act now. With you at our side." She looked at me then, and for a moment my heart seemed to stop. They wanted me to help them- to help them restore order to the entire world. If I said yes, there was no telling where my journey might take me. But if I said no, surely all of Thedas would fall.

"What is the 'Inquisition of old,' exactly?" I asked, trying, at least for now, to avoid an answer.

Leliana was the one to reply, "It preceded the Chantry- people who banded together to restore order in a world gone mad."

"After," said Cassandra, "they laid down their banner and formed the templar order. But the templars have lost their way. We need those who can do what must be done- united under a single banner once more."

"If you're truly trying to restore order…" I drifted off, and Leliana interjected.

"That is the plan."

Cassandra glanced at Leliana, and then back at me. "Help us fix this," she said, "before it is too late." She held out her hand, a gesture of welcoming.

A slow smile crept across my face as I took her hand in mine, and shook it. "I will do what I can," I promised.

Before I even had time to fully comprehend what had happened, the new banner of the Inquisition had been set up all around the town. There was even placed a proclamation on the doors of the Chantry, saying that the village of Haven was now under the protection of the Inquisition. It was a bit overwhelming- but at the same time- somehow inspiring. If anyone could set the world right, it was this new Inquisition. At the time, I wasn't sure what my part in it all really was. It seemed like I was let off the hook as a prisoner, at least- but where did that put me, exactly?

The elf girl that I'd met the day before was named Diranni. She stopped by several times during that evening, and I soon learned that she was the assistant to the apothecary who had been taking care of me. She'd been nervous and shy at first, as if she'd be struck down by some divine power for even daring to look at me. But I managed to assuage those fears, and we were becoming fast friends already.

The next morning, I received summons from Cassandra, stating that I was needed in the Chantry at once. Perhaps I might finally figure out what, exactly, it was I was supposed to be doing?

"What do you think they need you for?" Diranni asked.

"I have no idea," I offered her a smile, hopping through the door on one leg as I tried to jam a boot onto the other foot.

"Here," she said, "let me help you with that."

"No, no! Really it's all right," I chuckled, "I think I can manage to get this damn shoe on my own foot." Not a moment after I'd said it, my foot slid into place, and I was able to let out a sigh of satisfaction.

"You're a lot different than I thought you'd be," said Diranni. We were walking now, down the road and towards the Chantry.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're the Herald of Andraste- all holy and noble-like," she explained, "I figured you'd be…"

"More stuck up?"

"W-well, I wasn't going to say it like that… exactly."

"It's fine, Diranni, I understand. Anyway, you'd best get back. I'm sure Adan is looking for you."

She nodded and started to turn away, just as we reached the Chantry doors. "Right- good luck with them important folk!"

"Thanks!" I called over my shoulder.

When I raced through the doors, Cassandra was right there to meet me. "Oh, there you are! Surprised me." I attempted a smile.

"Yes, well," she started, "that was not my intention." Right. Hard on the humor. I'd have to remember that. "Does it trouble you?"

I paused to stare a moment at the glowing mark embedded in my palm. "It doesn't hurt as much anymore, now that the Breach has stopped spreading," I said honestly.

She smiled, "We take our victories where we can. What's important is that your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You've given us time, and Solas believes a second attempt might succeed, provided the mark has more power- the same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place. That is not easy to come by."

I was struggling with the thought. I'd never seen such powerful magic before- by the Maker, how were we supposed to find more? I decided to voice my concerns. "Couldn't that kind of power just make things worse?"

Cassandra laughed now- actually laughed. "And people call me a pessimist." She led me back to the same room I'd been in before, but this time when we entered, I took a moment to look around.

It was sparsely decorated, with a few bookshelves here and there- and a statue of Andraste herself leaning against the wall to my left. In the center of the room, there was a long table, split into four parts. They'd likely just shoved a bunch of smaller tables together, in order to make room for the massive map that was now spread across it. Taking a quick peek, I realized the map was of both Orlais and Ferelden.

Standing around it, there were a few faces I recognized- as well as a couple new ones. Leliana and Cassandra were there, obviously. But there was another woman, also. She was olive-skinned, with flashing amber eyes and a mountain of onyx-colored hair sitting atop her head. From the ornamentation of her garments, I guessed her to be of noble birth.

The only other person in the room was a man. He seemed to be avoiding my gaze, which was probably a good thing, because I was fairly sure that I was staring- blatantly. Handsome in an understated way, his basalt jaw and spartan shoulders spoke of strength. He possessed a latent, leonine power, and no doubt he always walked with purpose and authority. His face was strong and angular, his jaw lined with stubble. The hair on his head was a sandy blonde in color, unkempt- but in a way that made you wonder if he'd styled it to be so. A large scar ripped across his upper lip, but it was not so bad- in fact, I thought it made him seem all the more masculine. The aquiline nose he sported complemented his prominent cheekbones. However, his best feature by far was his entrancing, hazelnut eyes. They gave me the impression that they could shine as bright as the evening stars when they were alight with joy. But at other times, they might resemble two liquid-bronze pools of flashing fire.

Cassandra's words snapped me from my reverie. "Let me present: Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition's forces."

He looked at me then, albeit hesitantly. "Such as they are. We lost many soldiers in the valley, and I fear many more before this is through."

I found that my voice had failed me in that moment, and so I only nodded. Cassandra, meanwhile, continued on. "This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat." Ah, wonderful- a politician. It was difficult to draw my eyes away from Cullen, but I did, and I offered Lady Josephine a smile, which she was happy to return.

"You're even prettier than I'd heard," she grinned.

"You- you heard that I was-" I would have liked to keep speaking, but I was cut off by Cassandra.

"And, of course," she said, "you know Sister Leliana."

"That I do," I replied.

Leliana spoke next, "My position here involves a degree of…"

"She is our spymaster," said Cassandra simply. Liked to get to the point. Respectable.

"Yes," Leliana's voice was raised in pitch, showing a small amount of irritation at being interrupted, "tactfully put, Cassandra."

"Pleased to meet you all," I said, and I allowed my eyes to linger on Cullen for a moment. He just looked away again.

"I mentioned that your mark needs more power to close the Breach for good," Cassandra started. But before she could say any more, Leliana cut in.

"Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help."

Cullen didn't seem to like that idea too much. He turned to Leliana, "I still disagree. The templars could serve just as well." Fantastic- another argument about templars and mages was about to spring up. Just what we needed! But before that could happen, Cassandra sighed, "We need power, Commander. Enough magic poured into that mark-"

"Might destroy us all!" Cullen interjected. Even being a mage, I was inclined to agree with him. We didn't have any idea what would happen if more magic was poured into this thing on my hand. Still, the mages would be a valuable asset- if anyone knew anything about my mark, it'd be a mage. He continued, "Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it, so-"

Leliana shook her head, "Pure speculation."

"I was a templar," said Cullen, "I know what they're capable of." He was a templar? As if things weren't bad enough already, my damn hormones had me pining over a templar of all things.

Josephine, forever the diplomatic one, stepped in to stop the argument. "Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition- and you, specifically." She looked at me.

"That didn't take long," I remarked humorously.

I thought I caught Cullen smile for a fraction of a second, but he turned to Josephine before I could be sure. "Shouldn't they be busy arguing over who's going to become Divine?"

"Some are calling you," she said, "a mage, the Herald of Andraste. That frightens the Chantry- the remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy. And we," I assumed she meant the rest of the Inquisition, "heretics for harboring you."

Cassandra spoke up, "Chancellor Roderick's doing, no doubt." I figured she was probably right, but did it really matter? The Chantry was against us- that's what was important.

"It limits our options," said Josephine, "approaching the mages or templars for help is currently out of the question."

"Just how am I the Herald of Andraste, exactly?" My voice sounded more timid than I wanted it to.

Cassandra was the one to answer, "People saw what you did at the temple- how you stopped the Breach from growing. They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste."

"Even if we tried to stop that view from spreading-" Leliana was cut short by Cassandra- again.

"Which we have not."

She continued anyway, "The point is: everyone is talking about you." I'd gathered that much from Diranni, and the others who'd met me outside when I first awakened.

Cullen addressed me directly for the first time. "It's quite the title, isn't it?" he remarked. "How do you feel about it?"  
>"I'm not sure I really know how to feel," I admitted. His eyes flashed with something, but I couldn't tell what. Approval? Disapproval? I feared the latter.<p>

"People are desperate for a sign of hope," interjected Leliana, "for some, you're that sign."

"And to others- a symbol of everything that's gone wrong," added Josephine.

"They aren't more concerned about the Breach- the real threat?" I asked. Typical of the Chantry to ignore all the real problems of this world. After all, it took an entire war for them to realize they'd made a mistake with the Circle of Magi.

Cullen looked at me. "They do know it's a threat, they just don't think we can stop it."

"The Chantry is telling everyone you'll make it worse," corrected Josephine.

Before anymore could be said, Leliana spoke. "There is something you can do."

"What's that?"

"A Chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable."

I nodded, "I'll see what she has to say." Finally- a direction. She might have been a cleric, but we needed all the support we could get- I recognized that much.

"You will find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the hinterlands near Redcliffe," Leliana finished.

I was about to turn away from the table, but Cullen stopped me. "Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you're there."

Josephine seemed to agree with this, because she added, "We need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley- and you're better suited than anyone to recruit them." I wasn't quite so sure about that, but I supposed I'd have to give it a try.

"In the meantime," said Cassandra, "let's think of other options. I won't leave this all to the Herald."

"I have a name, you know," I said. Cassandra looked at me, her expression surprised. It was as if she'd forgotten. "Well, what is it?" she asked.

"Evelyn," I smiled, "Evelyn Trevelyan."

I spent the next few days making arrangements with some of the villagers throughout the town. It wasn't as if I could just up and walk out, after all. There were supplies that needed to be found- details that needed to be ironed out. Cassandra had already decided that she was to come with me, but I'd been told that the hinterlands were dangerous parts these days, and I didn't exactly feel comfortable traveling in a party of two. So, while the stable boy was finding us horses, and the innkeeper supplying us with rations of bread, I made it my mission to find others who would join me.

"Varric!" The dwarf turned as I called his name, a small smile playing upon his lips.

"Well hello there, Red."

"My proper name is Evelyn," I said, "in case you didn't already know."

"Oh, I know- you're all anyone can talk about these days." I nodded. Word got around fast in a small town like this, so it wasn't entirely surprising that he already knew who I was. "Something I can help you with, Red?"

An opportunity. "Well, actually, now that you mention it- I'm looking for someone to accompany me to the hinterlands."

"Accompany you?" He laughed and shook his head, "Thanks, but no thanks." I couldn't stop the frown that spread across my face. He started to walk away, towards where his crossbow was laying on a nearby chair.

"Varric- wait-" I started. He turned, regarding me curiously. "I… really need someone who knows how to handle himself in a fight. Someone… like you."

He smirked, "Ah, so the truth comes out. 'Fraid one of those nasty shades will get you without me around?" A pause, "All right, Herald, I'll come with you. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," I grinned, "you'd best start packing your things."  
>I worried that my next target would not be so easy to persuade. Solas seemed… somehow strange to me. Not because he was an elf, and certainly not because he was a mage. Whenever I was around him, I just felt as though I'd been reduced to the size of an ant- a bug for him to squash. He seemed arrogant. Still, I didn't want to make an enemy of him. Maybe if I had a chance to talk to him more on this trip- I'd get to understand him better.<p>

I found Solas wandering around in an area full of small shops. In fact, the apothecary's place where I'd stayed for a time was just next door. Now, I was given my own room in the halls of the Chantry.

"Are you looking for something particular?" I approached him from behind, and he turned, slightly startled.

"Oh- hmm? No, not really."

"What are you doing, then?"

He seemed affronted, "Merely browsing- I didn't realize my actions were under such scrutiny."

I fought the urge to cringe- it had sounded like I was accusing him of something. "I… apologize, I didn't mean to imply anything." He seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding.

"No need to apologize. You obviously came to speak with me for a reason- so what is it?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me on my trip to the hinterlands. You know more about this mark than anyone, and I believe your knowledge would be useful."

His eyes narrowed, almost as if he was trying to judge the truth of my words. "Very well, I will be glad to lend my services."

"Really?" I wasn't expecting him to agree so easily.

"Yes," he repeated, "really."

I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face. "Fantastic- we're leaving tomorrow, by the way. You might want to start packing."

He shook his head, "I carry very little with me- I will be ready by tomorrow, fear not."

I nodded my understanding and turned away, starting down the path to the Chantry. I'd had enough for one day. The sun was already setting, casting a warm, orange glow on the recently fallen snow. This place was different from what I was used to in the Free Marches- so cold, and the landscape so rough. Still, it had the same sort of wild beauty about it. As I was thinking these things, I hardly realized where my footsteps were taking me, and I soon collided with a plated chest. I looked up, eyes wide, startled to see Commander Cullen staring down at me."O-Oh, I'm sorry." He laid his hands on my shoulders and very gently pushed me away, trying to move past me on my left. We had similar ideas, it seemed, because he only ran into me again.

"Sorry," I groaned, and this time, I tried to dart right- but to no avail.

Laughing, we both took a step back. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. "Right then," he said, "on the count of three- we both go left."

I grinned, starting the count, "One."

"Two."

"Three," I finished. True to our word, we both went left, allowing us to walk past one another without banging heads. I tried to scurry away, embarrassed beyond all belief, but before I could even get three paces, Cullen spoke.

"Wait-" I looked back over my shoulder at him. He seemed almost embarrassed himself. "I wanted to tell you before you left for the hinterlands: good luck. I know you never asked for any of this- and, well, you're handling it remarkably well."

"Thank you." I was surprised. He seemed nice enough, and he was certainly handsome, but he was, at one point, a templar- and I was still a mage. He smiled then, a real, honest, unbounded smile that had my breath hitching in my throat.

"You're welcome."

I retreated to my own little space in the Chantry, and for the rest of the night, my mind was occupied by thoughts only of one thing: Commander Cullen, and his oh-so-charming smile.


End file.
